Dover High School chosen for co-teach collaborativeFor The Courier Dover High School has been chosen to participate in a new initiative involving the Arkansas Department of Education, Educational Cooperatives, Education Renewal Zones (ERZ) and Arkansas Universities. The ultimate goal of the collaborative effort is to improve academic and social outcomes of P-12th grade students with disabilities in Arkansas with emphasis on more effective co-teaching practices. The first year will focus on dev...

Dardanelle schools hire new instructorsBoard gives recommendation of polling location By Laura Eppes Reporter The Dardanelle School Board hired several employees during its regular meeting Monday night. Superintendent John Thompson said the district hired seven new employees and accepted the resignations of four. New employees hired for elementary grades were Gary Jernigan as an elementary instructor, and Vicki Cooper as an elementary migrant aid. Heather Meeker was hired as a prim...

May the best 'bot winLocal teachers train for upcoming robotics competition, scheduled for Oct. 20 For The Courier Twenty high school and junior high teachers met on the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith campus Wednesday for training for the upcoming River Valley BEST robotics competition, scheduled for Oct. 20. Teachers who attended the training will work with their students to prepare for this year's contest, which is the fifth for UAFS and is one of several ...

New superintendent makes intentions clear to Dover School BoardBy Brooke Chambers Reporter DOVER - At the first Dover School Board meeting Jerry Owens' attended as the district's new superintendent, he made his intentions clear. "I want us to be 100 percent proficient," Owens said as he told the meeting attendees about an upcoming leadership retreat for the school board and administrators. "Dover is to be commended for all of its hard work and proficiency in the past." The retreat, titled "Effective Schoo...

Atkins School Board prepares for architectsBy Brooke Chambers Reporter ATKINS - The Atkins School Board received information Monday night that would prepare them to meet and interview architects and construction companies for the district's proposed K-8 facility. Contacted by The Courier after the meeting, Superintendent Boyce Watkins said the next step in the process of building a new school - before district voters can be approached about a possible property tax increase - must be to...

AETN to address violence in state with live programCONWAY - The Arkansas Educational Television Network will present the live program "Violence in Arkansas," at 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 24. Steve Barnes and Pamela Smith host. In 2006, homicide across the U.S. was the second-leading cause of death for people ages 15-24 years old according to the Centers for Disease Control. This program will take a look at violent crime in Arkansas and explore prevention and intervention programs that seek to stem ...

U of A student from Russellville takes top prize in online contestFor The Courier FAYETTEVILLE - Keith Eddy of Russellville had an unusually productive freshman year at the University of Arkansas. The computer science major earned a 4.0 grade point average for both semesters. He also spent about a month this winter making a video in his Yocum Hall dorm room for the online "New Numa Contest." He won the contest, beating out more than 300 entries from around the world, and he's waiting to collect the $25,000 g...

ATU travel group visits AlaskaFor The Courier Twenty Arkansas Tech University alumni and friends recently made the 4,000-mile journey north to the land known as "The Last Frontier" for a 12-day tour of Alaska. The trip was the latest in the Arkansas Tech Alumni and Friends Travel Group series. The group has visited locales such as Ireland, the Tuscany region of Italy and New York City in recent years. Upcoming trips include excursions to the Colorado Rockies, Australia, Au...

School board wants to ask for 6.9 mill increaseRussellville School Board proposal would increase mills to 40.8; 4 main projects in mind By Brooke Chambers Reporter The Russellville School Board voted unanimously Monday night during a special-called board meeting to propose a 6.9-mill property tax increase to patrons in the school district. After crunching numbers for several months with district administrators, Fiscal Agent Jack Treumper of Stephens Inc., presented the figure that would br...

Tech launches new ad campaign featuring studentsFor The Courier Arkansas Tech University has launched a new advertising campaign to create awareness and interest among high school students. Television ads debuted late last month featuring 15 different students and their experiences at Tech. The students in the advertisements were selected from more than 40 students who volunteered to participate in auditions. Many of those 40 students are featured on the campaign Web site, www.future.atu.ed...

RHS principal recalls time served on national boardNational Association of Secondary School Principals serves as voice for school leaders, makes recommendations to legislators By Brooke Chambers Reporter After serving four years on the board of directors for the National Association of Secondary School Principals, Russellville High School Principal Wesley White's term ended July 1. The NASSP serves as the national voice for middle level and high school principals, assistant principals and aspi...

Driver's ed driven outRussellville High School principal says course will not be offered this fall By Brooke Chambers Reporter Russellville High School students who plan to take a driver's education course through the school should plan to do so during the summer months only, at least for the upcoming year. RHS Principal Wesley White said Wednesday with the recent retirement of Don Carnahan, who had taught driver's ed in the district for more than 30 years, no one ...

Dover Robotics team in need of funds to go to competitionBy Brooke Chambers Reporter With only two weeks left before the National Botball Competition begins in Hawaii, the Dover High School Robotics Team still lacks more than half of the funds needed to attend. The team qualified to attend the July 10-13 national competition in March when it won first place at the regional competition. Members spent weekends and after-school time preparing robots for the first competition, and have done it again in ...

District plans for future with land purchasesMiddle, high school construction projects progressing By Brooke Chambers Reporter POTTSVILLE - The Pottsville School District has room to grow after a school board decision last Thursday night. Nearly $190,000 in land purchases were approved during the board's regular meeting, Superintendent Larry Dugger told The Courier in an interview following the meeting. The largest purchase, a 12.94-acre piece of land south of the new junior high school ...

Dardanelle board approves budgetSuperintendent named ex-officio financial officer By Janie Ginocchio Reporter The Dardanelle School Board voted at its June 18 meeting to approve the district's budget for the 2008-09 school year, and named Superintendent John Thompson as ex-officio financial officer, Thompson said. The board also renewed its physical and occupational therapy contract with Home Care Pediatric and renewed the district's insurance policies through the Arkansas S...

Hector approves budget proposalBoys basketball coach hire approved By Brooke Chambers Reporter The Hector School Board approved its proposed budget of expenditures for the 2008-09 school year during a special meeting last Thursday. According to the board minutes acquired by The Courier, the district plans to spend $2.7 million on salaries, $890,000 on instructional expense, $650,000 on maintenance and operations, $270,000 on pupil transportation, $270,000 on other operation...

Clarksville schools waiting for spaceBoard votes to rent add.'l modular building for primary school By Brooke Chambers Reporter CLARKSVILLE - After deciding last month to purchase a modular building for Kraus Middle School, the Clarksville School Board voted Thursday to rent an additional building for the primary school. Reached by The Courier after the meeting, District Superintendent Don Johnston said the primary school facility, which houses kindergarten and first grades, was ...

$500K transfer to district's building fund approvedSecurity cameras, new fire alarm systems among improvements earmarked using funds By Brooke Chambers Reporter The Russellville School Board approved a $500,000 transfer to the district's building fund Thursday night during its regular meeting for improvements the State Department of Education has deemed "Priority One." The improvements, District Business Manager Nathan Barber said, include the installation of security cameras at all district b...

Board not ready for millage decisionProposal must decide upon by July 9 By Brooke Chambers Reporter Although the Russellville School Board has acknowledged the need for a millage increase in the school district, board members postponed the announcement Thursday of an exact proposal. Herb Taylor, board member and building and grounds committee chair, told meeting attendees a day trip the board members took Thursday to Clarksville, Alma and Greenwood school district fine arts cent...

Danville parents get involvedParent advisory committee to be formed in school district By Brooke Chambers Reporter DANVILLE - A group of concerned parents recently decided to form an advisory committee to the Danville School Board in hopes of improving communication within the district. The development of the committee, which is still in the organization process, stemmed from a recent board decision to do away with pre-AP (advanced placement) classes in the fourth, fifth ...